Gardner, 27 (2/28/96), tallied 40 points (10-30=40) and 75 penalty minutes (PIM) in 71 games with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2022-23 season. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, ranked T-2nd on the team in shorthanded goals (2), third in PIM and plus/minus rating (+26) and fifth in assists. The left-shot center owns 85 points (30-55=85) in 205 AHL contests in five seasons with Texas (2019-22) and has eight points (4-4=8) in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games. He was originally selected by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round (116th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2019 at St. Louis. He has two points (1-1=2) and 10 PIM in 40 career NHL matches with Dallas in parts of three seasons (2019-22).
Gardner skated in four seasons with the University of North Dakota (2015-19) and recorded 56 points (23-33=56) and 188 PIM in 108 games. He served as an alternate captain during his junior and senior seasons, was named the 2017-18 NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year and assisted the Fighting Hawks to capture their eighth NCAA National Championship in 2016.
